Why isn’t my azalea blooming?

Too much nitrogen in early summer may encourage vegetative growth at the expense of flower bud formation, so limit fertilizer applications to the fall or spring or skip the fertilizer all together. Although azaleas are well adapted to partial shade, deep shade produces spindly, weak growth and few flower buds. Azaleas usually won’t flower well if planted under trees with dense foliage, such as maples, beeches, and pines. Plant in the diffused light under widely spaced, high-crowned trees like oaks and tulip poplars. Deer and rabbits may eat many of the flower buds as they browse in the winter, particularly if the weather is harsh and other food is scarce. Flower buds can also be damaged by cold, dry winds, particularly when warm winter weather is followed by a period of bitter cold.